2-3-16 Reflections

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Proverbs 15:13 KJV

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A joyful heart will make a joyful face,

The countenance is etched where there’s a smile,

And such a glow invites a warm embrace.

To be midst such a soul makes life worthwhile.

But too much sorrow draws such diff’rent lines

Creating there a mask that’s thin and drawn,

And soon the body shows unhealthy signs

To shorten life with nothing to hang on.

Reflect upon the love God has for you,

And know that by His grace you’ve been set free.

The comfort of the Savior sees you through

The darkest night the soul will ever see.

Love makes the homely beautiful and bright.

With gratitude you’ll shine both day and night.

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REMEMBER: The face reflects the spirit that dwells within.

1-26-16 Because

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

Ruth 2:10 KJV

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Who am I, Lord, that You bestow such grace?

I’m just a lowly sinner bound for hell.

There’s no redeeming value, not a trace.

I’m here within the dust where Adam fell.

How can You love me, God, in all my shame?

I am not worthy of Your love at all.

You gave Your only Son, who then became

The ransom for my sins both great and small.

Your Holy Word tells me You love me so;

You showed Your love for me on Calvary.

You made me for a reason, this I know,

To be Your child to love as You love me.

O Abba! You are all I ever need,

And by Your grace, O Father, I’ve been freed!

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Remember: God IS love.

11-13-15 Speaking in Parables

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Matthew 13:13 KJV

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The Savior spoke in parables to most

Because they did not want the patent truth.

They wanted to go back to friends and boast

They’d seen a miracle and played the sleuth.

When Jesus showed His face He drew a crowd;

The vast majority went for the show.

They saw Him with their eyes but were not bowed,

They heard His voice but did not want to know.

He spoke in stories, fables, myths and tales;

Those hungry for the truth would understand.

The Spirit opened ears and took off scales

To those who sought the Kingdom here at hand.

To some the gospel seems like falsity;

You cannot get this kind to hear and see.

9-24-15 His Power in You

⁸ Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

⁹ And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

¹⁰ Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Matthew 4:8-10 KJV

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When Satan comes and whispers in your ear,

Or more than likely shoves it in your face,

And tempts you with his guile, then have no fear

For Jesus dwells with you in every case.

The father of all lies knows who you are;

He wants to have you bow to him alone.

He’ll offer you the world and go so far

As giving you a seat upon a throne.

The Savior lives and breathes the Holy Ghost;

The power that raised Him is in you, too.

The next time Satan offers you the most

Just let the Spirit get ahold of you.

Say ‘Get behind me, Lucifer! You lose!

I serve the Lord above! It’s Him I choose!’

8-12-15 Grace Through Faith

For by grace are ye saved through faith;

and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God

Ephesians 2:8 KJV

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You don’t deserve a single dot of grace,

For Hell is what you’ve earned for all your sin.

The best five minutes of your life’s disgrace;

The best of all the world would not begin.

Fall on your face and know you’re hopeless mud;

Repent and beg forgiveness for it all,

Believe that Jesus shed His precious blood

To pay for all your sins both great and small.

With all your heart accept Him as your Lord,

Then feel the Holy Spirit enter you!

God’s grace, and faith, His gifts you can’t afford,

And with Christ’s blood you’re covered through and through.

You’re saved by grace through faith and nothing more,

With Jesus as your Savior guarantor.

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sonnet #434

6-27-15 Hypocrisy

²⁷ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

²⁸ Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Matthew 23:27-28 KJV

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Hypocrisy is practiced more than not,

And chances are you practice every day,

Pretending you are wise and know a lot

When really you’re an ass that loves to bray.

That suit you wear on Sunday, crisp and clean,

Is like a coat of paint on rust and rot.

That Bible in your hand on Sunday seen

Back home is tucked away behind your pot.

Remember, were it not for God’s good Grace,

You would be bound for Hell for all you’ve done.

Get humble now and fall upon your face;

Repent and follow Christ, the perfect one.

If you don’t think you are a hypocrite,

You’re worse along than you care to admit.

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sonnet #400

6-17-16 Shut Your Mouth

For he that will love life, and see good days,

let him refrain his tongue from evil,

and his lips that they speak no guile

1 Peter 3:10 KJV

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A lying tongue will come to no good thing,

For it will come around to face the liar.

If you would be like Christ your tongue should bring

The words the Holy Ghost set it afire.

Refrain from evil talk, it flogs the soul,

Removing you as witness of the Word.

The things you say affects you as a whole,

And who desires sickness? Now that’s absurd!

Beguiling words are fashioned to deceive;

If you can’t speak with love then shut your mouth.

Christ told you ‘Yea’ or ‘Nay’ but not to thieve;

If you must speak share Jesus North and South.

If you desire a life that’s full of love,

Tell others what the gospel is made of.

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sonnet #392

6-12-15 Rule Number One

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Exodus 20:3 KJV

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We like to think we keep the ten commands

That God gave Moses on Mount Sinai,

But we can’t even keep the one that stands

As first among them all, and some don’t try.

We push Jehovah back to make more room

For all the other gods we worship now,

Like money, food, the TV we consume,

And everything we claim to disavow.

Whatever stands between the Lord and you,

Whatever steals attention from His face,

Is just like cheating on a spouse that’s true,

And then to have the gall to seek His grace!

The way to keep the Lord your number one

Is follow in the footsteps of His Son.

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sonnet #387

5-20-15 Glory

² Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

³ And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Isaiah 6:2-3 KJV

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Imagine standing fore the throne of God,

With seraphims above it shouting praise.

Our best envisionings would still be flawed;

The mind cannot conceive the slightest gaze.

But here we are surrounded by our things,

While just outside the door the world is wide.

So full of God’s great glory nature sings,

And every grain of earth He did provide.

In Eden and again when all’s complete,

The Earth in all her splendor will be known,

Yet even now her beauty’s so replete

God’s glory can be found in leaf and stone.

Right now we can’t see God upon His throne,

But take a walk outdoors, His glory’s shown.

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sonnet #365

5-19-15 Well Pleased

⁹ And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

¹⁰ And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

¹¹ And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Mark 1:9-11 KJV

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When Christ emerged from Jordan full of love

The Heavens opened wide and He did see

Descending from the sky just like a dove

The Spirit came upon Him graciously.

Then God did say “You’re My Beloved Son,

In whom I AM,” He stated “so well pleased,”

And there the essence of the Holy One

Well marked His favor on the One appeased.

Beloved sister, now that Spirit’s Here!

O, my Beloved brother, He’s in you!

When you accepted Christ your Savior dear

You were baptized by Spirit through and through.

One day when you see Jesus face to face,

He’ll say God’s pleased with you with love and grace.

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sonnet #364

(artwork by David Zelenka)